New Fleeting Leaf
by Fidchell
Summary: When a new face comes into town, he winds up learning more than he needs to. The animals respond in desperation, sometimes resorting to acts of violence. This is a violent, tense story with lots of surrealism. Inspired by Welcome to Camp and a lot of arthouse action. Rated M for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**PART 1: THE TRAIN RIDE**

The train rides along, the pattering of raindrops soft and comforting despite my confusion. I try to look back to what brought me to this point but I'm bringing up nothing but blanks. All I know is that I'm going someplace new—something different. I have to start anew and live out the rest of my life in peace, away from the qualms that plagued me back then.

I'm trying to mind my own business and think about the emptiness in the back of my mind, but I can't help but become interested in the guy in the mascot costume, sitting a couple rows away—except it isn't really a mascot costume. His eyes blinked as if the stubby anatomy of the figure actually consisted of fur, flesh and bone. I am creeped out by it, but at the same time it isn't very otherworldy to me, which is strange. But it is no stranger than my current situation, and I just chose to roll with it.

Suddenly the figure looks at me with the red slits of his huge, bulging eyes attached to his massive head. The thing looked like a cat almost, the colors of his fur quite outstanding among the dull aesthetics of the train interior. He wore only a simple, almost cute little sweater, designed in red and black diamonds with a yellow collar and bottom. He gets up off of his seat and walks his way toward me, his fashion of movement quite humorous what with his stubby arms and legs moving back and forth comically. Regardless, his approach also made me a little uneasy. What did he want with me? Can't he just leave me alone?

**ROVER: **Oh! Excuse me! I have a quick question for you.

For me? I don't know if a creature like him has seen many people like me, but the fact that he's taking the train to wherever leads me to think he should be acquainted with our world…if that meant anything anymore. To the side of the cat's head I notice the conductor, who carries the same stubby figure and animalistic look. I look back at the cat, who is waiting patiently for my undivided attention. He continues.

**ROVER: **It's now 1:30 p.m. on August 30, 2013, right?

I look around for a bit, not really knowing the answer myself. I guess the question is innocent enough. I gaze at my arm to find I'm wearing a watch. I almost forgot about it. Yep, he's right. I nod to him.

**ROVER: **Thanks! It seems I forgot to set my watch this morning! I'm just going to plop down in the seat across from you. If you don't mind, of course!

This is where my lack of real social skills start to show. My eyes roll around in unease. My mouth opens but I don't say anything. My shoulders rise and hands gesture toward the seat he is referring to, a pathetic invite. The cat waddles over to the seat in front of me and he hops on. His eyes still glued onto me, he says,

**ROVER: **By the way, you…hold it! Can I ask your name?

He seems like he wants to be friendly, but I've become easily wary of almost everything, and I'm not sure why. I feel tingly inside and disturbed. I give him a random name since, that's right, I can't seem to remember what exactly my real name is.

**Mark**, I say. It sounds inconspicuous and plain enough. That's what I want to seem—plain and boring, so that the cat can keep quiet, but I knew that was not going to happen anytime soon.

**ROVER: **Oh, Mark? Well, that's a fantastically great name!

Thanks, cat guy. I came up with it so it must be pretty good.

**ME: **Cool, right?

**ROVER: **Yeah! You seem like a pretty cool guy to me!

**ME: **I know, right?

Trying to come off as a tough guy, someone with a higher degree of self-esteem, but truthfully, the cat flattered me. He's almost too friendly, which is a little weird to me.

**ROVER: **So, Mark, tell me, where are you headed today?

Oh my. That's the big question here. I'm just going someplace far away—someplace hopefully quiet and peaceful. He seems to want a name, so I just scramble around in my head and spurt something out.

**QUIETOWN. **Yeah, a town that's nice and quiet. That's exactly what I'd like.

**ROVER: **The town of Quietown? Hmm, Quietown, yeah, Ok…Don't think I've heard of it. I wonder where it is…

That's the point. I hope not many know where it is. Then again I did just pull a random name out of nowhere.

**ROVER: **Oh, right! Map, map, map…let's take a look along this train line. Ah, maybe this is it right here?

What the – how did he? The cat pulls out a large map of Quietown, or at least that's what I think it's a map of. He could be bluffing as much as I am. Regardless, it looks nice. It's small, quaint, there's few houses, and there's even a river and a small beach. I'm assuming the small green houses are those that belong to other villagers. The purple is…I don't know, maybe the town hall? There's an icon slapped on that looks like two arrows circling around each other. I can't really guess off the top of my head what it means. Above the town hall and arrows there is a train track and a pinkish house below it. I'm assuming that's where I'm getting off.

That looks like it for the map. I like what I'm seeing, and even though that's probably not what my little Quietown will look like in the end, I roll with it.

**ROVER: **I see, so that's where Quietown is! So do you get to go to Quietown very often?

Huh, good question. I don't remember where I've been before this, but what the cat showed me almost seems familiar and…homey. A place like Quietown is something I don't remember being a part of. Despite that, I just tell the cat it'll be my first time there.

**ROVER: **Oh, today is your first time? That sounds like tons of fun! Can I ask, why're you headed there?

Peace and quiet. I don't know. Start anew. That's what I keep telling myself. The cat's really delving into this whole thing a little deeply, so my first gut reaction is to tell him that I can't really say.

**ROVER: **Whhaat?! You're not going to tell? Hmm, now I'm even more curious…Boy, I wonder…Oh, wait. I've got it! Yeah! Are you perhaps moving to a new town?

He's like a psychic. I commend his abilities.

**ME: **You guessed it.

The cat looks pleased with himself, laughing.

**ROVER: **Mya ha ha! I've got a gift! Or maybe I just have a nose for guessing! I mean, you know, if I had a nose.

He's turning out to be pretty entertaining.

**ROVER: **But you're moving, huh? That's so great! Starting a new life in a new place is really exciting!

I guess he could say that, but excitement itself isn't something I'm looking for in this travel.

**ROVER: **Going to live somewhere you've never lived before sounds like such a fun adventure!

Just as he finishes, a little jingle echoes throughout the train car. We both look towards the conductor.

**SPEAKER: **Now arriving in Quietown! Quietown station!

What the hell?

**ROVER: **Oh, hey! Looks like we're about to arrive in Quietown!

I'm probably just dreaming. Screw it. This could be the best dream I ever have.

**ROVER: **Thanks for chatting with me! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a train ride this much!

I guess that's double for me.

**ROVER: **Come to think of it, I've been riding the rails an awful lot again lately. Haven't done this much traveling by train since 2002 or so…Man that's weird.

2002. Pretty random, but I nod and smile.

**ROVER: **Ok, good luck, Mark! Bye-bye!


	2. Chapter 2

NEW LEAF

**PART 2: THE NEW MAYOR**

The train pulls up to the station. I notice a flag resting next to a clock, the image of a tree painted onto it. The next thing I notice is a monkey seated in a small booth. He looks almost too similar to the conductor. I stand in front of the double doors, my palms sweaty with anxiety. This is it, the start of my new life.

The double doors open after the train comes to a halt. I get out and the booth monkey speaks up loudly, "This stop for Quietown! Everyone for Quietown, exit here!" He ends with an "eek eek," as if to ensure I know he is a monkey. I walk toward the station exit, feeling like my chest is about to burst.

When I emerge into the town, the first thing that hits me is the amazingly pure air. Just that told me that this may be the place I've been longing for. The next thing that hits me is that it looks like all the villagers are gathered around the station, looking straight at me. The fact that they look so eager shows that maybe they don't get many visitors.

The first villager speaks up in almost a whisper,

**ROSIE: **Look! I think he finally arrived!

The villager looks like a female cat with cerulean fur. Her eyes are huge, just like the cat on the train, and she seems to carry an almost peppy personality. She wears a shirt segmented in pink, purple, magenta, and biege diamonds. The second villager, who is a lot shorter and appears to be a squirrel with her long, curved tail, is the next who speaks.

**PECAN: **I bet that's the guy!

Why are they all speaking so quietly? The squirrel has somewhat large eyes as well with a hint of eyeshadow, plum-colored. She is wearing a red checkered shirt. I could almost say appears snooty. The next villager after the squirrel speaks up.

**ROSCOE: **All right. We should say 'hi' or something.

That would probably be a good thing considering your hushed conversation is making me feel a little uneasy. The villager is a rather tall, black-furred horse with striking red eyes. His shirt is in the design of a black-white checkerboard. His look leads me to believe he's a little on the cranky side.

The last villager looks a lot more primped than everyone else and has apparel that resembles a more 'official' business look. She has the appearance of a dog with yellow fur, her hair tied up to a bun by a red strip with jingling bells attached to it. Her clothes consist of a green checkered vest with a white top and a neatly-tied red ribbon below her collar. She also wears a navy-blue skirt. Something about her makes her stand out amongst all the other villagers, which surprised me considering there's a plethora of strangely-colored bipedal animals in front of me. She speaks up exuberantly, showing her cheery personality.

**ISABELLE: **Ok, everyone! Here we go…ready? And…From those of us in Quietown…

Everyone shouts out a hefty "WELCOME!" in unison. I rear back, amazed at the whole situation and how welcoming the townspeople are. The yellow dog walks up to me, a very jovial look on her face.

**ISABELLE: **Mayor! We're so happy you're finally here!

Mayor? My heart feels like it just got dipped in an ice bath. I'm not a mayor, nor do I remember agreeing to take up such a responsibility. I ask her who this "mayor" is. The excitement from the dog's face disappears almost instantly. She looks downward, appearing almost as confused as me. She then laughs heartily.

**ISABELLE: **Oh, come on! Quit joking around. You know exactly who you are! You told us which train you'd be arriving on!

It's clear whoever the mayor of this town was supposed to be somehow got SWAPPED with me. I tell her it wasn't me.

**ISABELLE: **Oh no! You can't fool me! Things are just as you said they'd be! All is well. There's no mistake!

I start to almost feel sorry for her. She looks skittish, like her whole plan was crumbling down over her. Surely being a mayor in such a small town wouldn't really be that hard?

**ISABELLE: **Tee hee! You're a real jokester! Well, let's continue this discussion at the town hall, shall we? Here's a map of Quietown for your reference, Mayor Mark.

Oh my God. Mark is a name I pulled from my head! Is it pure coincidence that I guessed my actual name? But then how do they know my name anyway? Okay, forget it. Just forget all that. This is a dream.

**ISABELLE: **That flashing spot there is the town hall, so let's head that way together, shall we?

Oh right, so the purple house is definitely the town hall. That having been done with, I go to the town hall with the yellow dog while the townspeople disperse.

The inside of the hall is quite nice and fancy-looking, which is what I would expect from any town hall. The dog mentions this is my base of operations and that she is on staff here. She introduces herself.

**ISABELLE: **I'm Isabelle, your secretary, and I'm here to help you in any way I can. But if I may be frank, I was surprised to see someone as young as you step off the train.

Her mentioning of my young look makes me wonder why she remained insistent that I was to be the mayor. She talks about how their former mayor held his position for many years and then mentions someone as young as me being a 'breath of fresh air' and exactly the new image their town needs. It seems like she threw a curve ball there in order to set my youngness aside. Isabelle is really trying hard to help her plan remain smooth-sailing.

Isabelle goes on and says I need to get started on work as the mayor right away. I wouldn't expect any less. I wonder how they even operated without one. How long were they without a mayor anyhow? The yellow dog then states the first thing I have to do is become a resident of the town. That seems pretty simple and straightforward.

She suddenly goes hysterical, cursing herself.

**ISABELLE: **I can't believe I completely forgot something so vitally important! In order to register you as a town resident, we need your address for the form!

It's strange that not even I have really thought about this, but with all the crazy stuff that went on in such a short amount of time, I can't blame myself for letting my mind wander.

Isabelle suggests that I can build a temporary home, probably a tent. She offers to help me find a place to live before I can proceed and directs me to Tom Nook of 'Nook's Homes,' a real-estate office. The office is located in the Main Street, which she points out is above the railroad tracks on the map. She turns out to be very apologetic for bringing me here for nothing, but I didn't take offense to it. If things turned out TOO organized, I might've just gone crazy right there and then.


	3. Chapter 3

NEW LEAF

**PART 3: TOM NOOK**

I head into Main Street, exploring and getting a mental note of how the buildings are lined up. It's pretty bare-bones at the moment, but Nook's Home is the first standing structure I see, a post office sitting to the right of it. I go inside the building.

The interior looks nice and clean, house models neatly showcased across the floor as well as other bits and pieces, like styles of doors, mailboxes, and hedges. It made me yearn for an actual house, but I would have to be patient.

A pudgy raccoon stood in the middle as if expecting me. He had standard shades of brown on his fur, but wore a bright green vest with a red tie. Underneath he wore a white-collar shirt with long sleeves. He looks like he's ready to get right down to business.

**TOM NOOK: **Ah, hello! Welcome! Welcome!

Despite his warm greeting, there is something off about his face. His eyelids are slightly drooped down and point upwards, giving an almost melancholy demeanor to his complexion.

**TOM NOOK: **You must be the new mayor, am I right? Isabelle at the town hall told me to expect you!

She did? What, like a couple seconds ago? I guess she's really upbeat about this whole thing and wasted absolutely no time.

**TOM NOOK: **On behalf of the Quietown chamber of commerce, I'm pleased to welcome you! So, Mark, you're here today because you want to build a house, yes?

I just nod. I'm not exactly sure what to expect out of all this and how these animals carry out their tasks, but all I know is I need a place to stay. I yearn it more than ever right now considering I need someplace private to think to myself.

**TOM NOOK: **Very good! Very good! I can build one just about anywhere you want, yes, I can indeed!

There is something about this raccoon that rubs me the wrong way. He is incredibly jumpy and talkative, prodding me with his artificial excitement while trying to remain formal. It wasn't all too unfamiliar with me.

**TOM NOOK: **So have you decided on where you want to live?

I haven't exactly planned that portion out, but seeing as how there was quite a lot of open space according to the map, I didn't think that a little impromptu session would make this anymore difficult. I wasn't a very picky guy either.

I just nod to the enthusiastic raccoon.

**TOM NOOK: **Then this won't take long at all! Just take me where you want to build your new home, Mark!

We head out back to Quietown. I find myself pacing around, and acting in complete contradiction to what I had just said about myself. I couldn't decide where to place my home. There were many places across the town that looked very nice.

I spent around a whole thirty minutes deciding on what would be a good spot, and Tom Nook did not show a loss of patience for one second.

"No rush at all!" he says to me. He sounds sincere too—no sense of cynicism in his voice. Regardless, I try not to keep him out here for too long. I even began to frustrate myself with all of this.

I choose a spot a tad close to a small pond and near the town hall. Seeing as how I am to be mayor, it seems like the most logical choice to have my home built near it. The raccoon agent analyzes the spot and then bursts with excitement.

**TOM NOOK: **Yes, yes. There's plenty of space to build a house here! You're close to a pond too! If you enjoy fishing or being in nature, it's the perfect spot!

Despite his subtle act, I'm happy to hear this from Nook. He makes it sound all the more comforting.

**TOM NOOK: **Hold on a moment. Let's see…it will look something like this…

He gives me a verbal picture of how it is to look when the shrubbery and other plant life is moved aside. I don't hold any adversity toward it. I tell him it's perfectly fine.

**TOM NOOK: **Ok! It's decided then! It will take a bit of time to build your house, so for today, let's reserve the space for you.

Something strange happens. I feel like I've drifted away for a bit. My eyes lose focus but my vision returns in only a couple seconds. Nook is still standing there, and before him is a fence lining around where my house will be set. I blink a few times, impressed at the sight.

**TOM NOOK: **Ta-da! And with that, this space is officially yours, Mark!

He starts to chuckle nervously before continuing…

**TOM NOOK: **Umm, including the cost of the land, materials, building costs, et cetera.

Of course. Of course they won't just give the mayor a place to live for free. Not even in my own dream. I try to make things harder for myself even when I'm making a fantasy world in my head.

**TOM NOOK: **Well, the calculation is complicated, so I can't come up with it just now. I'll tell you the total later.

The raccoon instructs me to drop on by his office when I've taken care of things. Now that I have an address, I suppose another visit to Isabelle wouldn't hurt.

I then realize something. I'm not just going to lie on the grass within the confines of the fence, right?

**TOM NOOK: **Ah, but I suppose you still need a place to rest your head…

Right on cue. Nook tells me to give him a moment. Right after he says that, my head starts to swim again, and before I know it, I'm back. There is now a medium-sized tent within the fence lining. This will have to do!

**TOM NOOK: **Ta-ta-ta-da! I'll let you borrow this tent so you have somewhere to sleep! I've also put up a mailbox, so you can even start receiving mail!

It is mighty thoughtful of the raccoon. I'm glad things appear to be working out.

**TOM NOOK: **I bet you rarely see a tent with a mailbox, right?

He laughs heartily at his words. I suppose I haven't seen one. It really is pretty convenient. He says he has to head back to his shop, and so we say our goodbyes.

As much as I want to just flop inside the tent lazily and rest my mind, I decide I have to get back to Isabelle. I go to the town hall.

Isabelle is behind her desk, just waiting for me to walk through the entrance. I see the eagerness in her eyes.

**ISABELLE: **Oh, Mayor Mark! Welcome back! Did you find the perfect spot to call home?

I give her a simple, assuring nod.

**ISABELLE: **Wonderful! I'm very happy to hear that! You're in temporary housing for now, right? I do hope your house is completed soon. Living in a tent can be very tiring.

With the lack of heating or air conditioning, I suppose she's right. But at the moment, I'm perfectly fine with what I have and can't wait to just relax already.

Isabelle proceeds to tell me she's completed most of my registration and asks for my birthday. I find myself feeling particularly pitiful that I don't even know this. With the fact that the animals have taken everything I've said about myself for granted so far, I decide this can't be any different.

I tell her my birthday is today. Her eyes widen.

**ISABELLE: **Oh my gosh! Well, Happy Birthday, Mayor Mark! It must be such a shock to have taken up so much responsibility on your special day…

Strangely enough she doesn't ask for the year of my birth either, but I guess that coincides with the fact that I was promoted on the spot and it was made clear that such information did not matter at this point.

**ISABELLE: **Please, take this!

Isabelle hands over a card, about the standard size of any that'd fit in one's wallet. She tells me it's a Town Pass Card and serves as an ID card that proves my place of residence. She also tells me that I can visit other towns with it. Other towns, huh? My train of thought runs off the rails once again. No doubt there are other towns out there, but it's already been demonstrated to me that this is a very different world with different standards and rules. It makes me think what lies out there.

**ISABELLE: **All right then, this wraps up just about everything we'll need to process your move. The last thing we'd like you to participate in is a ceremony that commemorates your arrival. Let's just say this can also serve as a little celebration for your birthday since it was on such short notice.

She winks at me after saying this. I actually didn't want a whole celebration over it either, but I guess that's what I get for not thinking before opening my gob.

Isabelle points out the spot on my map which turns out to be the event plaza, a decent-sized spot consisting of gravel. Special events are held there every now and then.

**ISABELLE: **We'd like for you to plant a tree in the square so it can become a great symbol for our town!

It definitely wouldn't hurt, and sounds nice enough to signify the beginning of my run as mayor.

I follow Isabelle out to the plaza. There is a hollowed-out platform in the middle filled halfway with mulch and soil. All of the villagers have gathered here to observe, although there has been no official announcement of this taking place.

I brush it aside and stand on the platform with Isabelle. She hands me a sapling and asks me to plant it. I look down on the soil, feeling my heart racing. This is a pretty simplistic little task, but really seemed like it meant a whole lot to everyone around me, and I guess it really **did **mean a whole lot. I puff out my chest, bend over, and insert the sapling into the soil. There is a thunderous roar of applause all around me.

On August 30, 2013, I became the mayor of Quietown, my own little quiet town…


	4. Chapter 4

NEW LEAF

**PART 4: ACQUAINTING**

** ISABELLE: **Mayor Mark! Congratulations! I hope this tree grows just as strong and lively as Quietown!

A few days have passed now, those words still plastered into my mind. Needless to say I was pretty excited to get things going. I have wanted to relax for what felt like a long time, but with my new responsibilities, I felt a strange surge of energy that motivated me to want to get to know my quiet town a little more.

At the tree-planting festival I had noticed that there were a couple more villagers that did not get to see me at the outside of the station, a wolf who called himself Wolfgang and a panda named Chester.

Wolfgang was a bit of a cranky guy. He looked like he had a lot to keep to himself, but he maintained a good attitude around me. Chester happened to also be his friend and had a very carefree demeanor—the two contrasted quite a bit and I found myself relieved their relationship did not go the opposite direction despite their differences.

Those two were pretty much the last of the villagers in this town. After I got myself acquainted, I found myself doing some very elementary tasks around the town, such as pulling weeds and planting flowers. I did not have much else to do without tools of any kind.

I wound up having a chat with Pecan, who happened to wander in my direction as I did my little cardio session across Quietown. We got to know each other a little more. One thing that inspired her in particular was the tree ceremony. She looked forward to a great future for this town and trusted that I could do so. It felt very inspiring to hear this from a townsperson, and the praise didn't end there.

Everyone held confidence in me, so much that I felt my head was going to explode. It was at that point that I began to question myself and wonder if I even had the capabilities, as young as I was.

I got to talking to Isabelle again for advice on what I can do in Quietown. She ended up giving me a watering can that I could use for the plants. I supposed it was a good start, but I needed to find a way to get Nook the money for the down payment, 10,000 Bells, so that I could get my actual house built. Isabelle suggested that I bury fruits around the village so that more fruit trees could grow. I could sell the fruits as well as shells that I found around the beach area. It sounded pretty simple enough. The Nookling Junction located on the right side of the Main Street would be a good place to buy essentials and sell things, although the selling bit would land me some more money if I were to visit the Re-Tail shop, which was what the circulating arrow symbol on the map signified.

I cleaned out the town's supply of fruit and buried some of it around the more empty-looking areas. Once I had a good load on me, I walked over to the recycling shop, where I found Timmy, a far younger raccoon who takes over the Nookling Junction with his brother Tommy. I didn't know if they were Nook's sons or something, but it didn't seem entirely impossible.

Timmy was talking to Reese, a pink alpaca and one of the owners of the Re-Tail shop.

**TIMMY: **Ma'am, I have something to sell!

**REESE: **Oh, hello, Timmy! What did you bring for me today?

Timmy sells Reese a tape deck, to which Reese also gives him the option of setting it in the "flea market" where someone else could buy it. Timmy sells the tape deck anyway for almost 200 Bells.

After the end of their transaction, Timmy turns to me, looking surprised.

**TIMMY: **Ah, hello! We haven't met, yes?

He introduces himself and explains he runs the Nookling Junction, which I already had a good idea about. He takes his leave after a quick goodbye and I turn my attention toward the alpaca.

**REESE: **Sorry to have kept you waiting. Welcome to the recycle shop, Re-Tail!

She proceeds to explain the works of her shop, the flea market, and premium items. I get down to business. My loads of fruit baskets were worth around one-fourth the amount of the down payment. My town's native fruit, the apple, was worth less than other fruits. I didn't know exactly where I could get my hands on different types of fruit, but I had to go with what I had for now.

It's not over just yet. I scrounge around for shells on the beach. Even with that, I'm still not able to get enough money for the down payment just yet. I would have to approach this with patience.

I continued this process for the next few days until the present. I now have enough cash to satisfy Nook and get my actual house built. In the meantime, I've been talking to more of the villagers. One that interested me in particular was the horse, Roscoe.

The horse is a man of good taste. The interior of his home was sleek and stylish and he had many interesting things to say. I agreed to do a little favor for him and catch him a "river fish." I assumed that was a general term for fish in the river, but I didn't have a fishing rod. In order for my villagers to have more faith and respect for me, I had a feeling that doing them these small favors would go a long way.

And so I bought my first fishing rod, caught Roscoe his fish, and earned his thanks. He had also given me a present for helping him out, something he called a "Lovely Lamp." As I anticipated, the thing was brightly-colored and stood out quite a bit in my drab little tent. A light source was just what I needed though, so I didn't mind very much. I wouldn't even say I was the best when it came to fashion and décor.

I got so caught up tonight in doing favors that by the time I got to Nook's Homes again, the lights were out. I look inside in pure frustration and sigh. I take a few steps back and observe the buildings of Main Street. I look to my left and notice something I completely missed, a photo booth. I take out my Town Pass Card and realize I don't have a picture. This would probably be a good time.

I step into the booth, slip my card in the slot, and take my picture, the picture being embedded onto the card automatically. Once I step back out, I gaze up at the strange building to the right of the booth. It is an elegant-looking one with a classy, golden dome and marble pillars. It strikes me as the most spellbinding building in the Street, but at the same time there is something off-putting about it. I'm almost nervous to find out what's inside. I decide to lay it off until tomorrow.

When the next morning comes, I head to Nook's Homes immediately and finally pay off my down payment. He is quite pleased and lets me know my house will be prepared the next day. The next day? Can they really do it that quickly? Either way, I'm excited. Having an actual home will definitely make me feel more like I belong in this town. But, of course, that was just the down payment. If I ever want to expand, I'll have to pay up the remainder of the loan.

With the sum of Bells I have left, I decide to buy some more tools, including an axe and a shovel. I'd say the time I've been here so far turned out to be smooth and relatively stress-free. Mayor work hasn't bogged me down too much and being social with the animals has raised my comfort levels significantly.

I set the plan for the rest of the day to involve some visitations to the other local stores across Main Street. With some Bells in hand, I set off. Before I cross to the eastern path, I stop in my tracks. It was the same feeling you'd get if you felt a really strange draft out of nowhere. My head turns to the left and I look at the fancy building next to the phone booth again, the rose insignia on the door staring back.


	5. Chapter 5

NEW LEAF

**PART 5: THE DREAM SUITE**

I continue to ignore the strange, elegant building and proceed to expand Quietown. I make a visit to the Able Sisters, a humble store owned by a pair of hedgehogs specializing in designs, clothing, and accessories. I decide to get out of my old pair of clothes and try out some new apparel for once—I put on a hefty brown jacket with some black jeans. I have to say despite how off my shoes looked in color comparison, the outfit I had on blended together quite well. I wound up buying the clothes.

The store is a small suite, and I can practically see the other room from here.

**MABEL: **Oh, that section is where you can find accessories, such as hats, sunglasses, and many other selections! Our sister, Labelle can assist you with anything you need.

I visit the accessories section. Labelle has what seems like a coy demeanor about her, giving me a hushed whisper of a "Hello," as I made my way inside. She also has a more official appearance, almost like a fashion designer, sporting a black, sleeveless dress with a white shirt underneath. She also wore an orange scarf. Her appearance is actually striking when compared to her older siblings, Sable and Mabel, not that I actually wanted to start judging looks in a place full of designers.

I get myself a nice-looking pair of sunglasses with a white frame. Labelle gives me her humble thanks and I take my leave. With a new outfit, I feel the freshness in my new life growing and taking hold. I head back to my house and on the way, Pecan and Rosie notice my new clothes and compliment me on my fashion sense. It is pretty flattering considering my mind wasn't fully focused on that as I made my pick.

My tent has transformed into a nice little cottage. I am still amazed at how quickly they built this thing. The inside is nice and cozy and everything electrical functions perfectly. I take the fishing rod I left in my storage closet and begin to fish in the pond close to the house. It's then that I start hearing a rhythmic beeping noise from behind. I turn my head and find out it's coming from my mailbox. A little blue flag is sticking out of it, a blinking envelope insignia embedded in the middle. I walk over to the mailbox and open it up, and out comes two pieces of mail, one with a whole present attached to it.

I take a look at the letter with the generous attachment and find it is from Roscoe, thanking me for hanging out with him the other day. Getting a gift for such a small thing really showed me how important minimalistic things are considered in this town, and it left me smiling…until I looked at the other letter.

_"To Mark, Congrats on your newfound mayorhood! To be honest, I was supposed to become the mayor, but one thing led to another…And now it's all up to you! I'm rooting for you!"_

The letter is signed "-Keep it a secret!" A puzzle seems to be piecing itself together here. I'm not entirely sure what to make of this letter, but it's becoming clearer that this whole mayor-swap was definitely planned ahead. I gaze at the letter some more and flip it over. I find a 12-digit code on the bottom-left corner.

"1288-2472-1992"

I can't make any final conclusions with this just yet. I stuff the letter in my pocket and realize I haven't opened Roscoe's present. It's a Lovely Bed. I smile again.

After my fishing session, I remember the elegant building next to Nook's and think that this may be the best time to finally check out what exactly it holds.

I nervously walk up the marble steps, feeling dryness in my mouth. I open the door with the rose design, the sounds of chiming bells accompanying my entrance. The interior sends a sweeping sense of relief and relaxation through my entire body. The design is simple but serene, and the air is filled with an almost tranquilizing coolness.

In the middle of the interior stood an odd-looking tapir, her dark blonde hair tied to a bun. Her skin is smooth with a dark shade of brown, blue freckles lining the bottom of her eyes. A pleased hum comes out of her red-lined lips as she sees me enter her realm.

**LUNA: **Welcome. My name is Luna, and this is the luxurious Dream Suite, where we offer you relaxation within your stressful life.

It started working just as I stepped foot inside the building. The tapir's voice is silky smooth. It's like everything inside this place except for me has some kind of aura of peace emanating from it.

**LUNA: **Oooh…are you not the mayor of Quietown? We two have had many pleasant conversations in the dream world. I am honored by the chance to converse whilst we are awake.

As creepy as the stuff Luna is going on about is, the feeling of wanting to unwind has not dissipated in the slightest. She gives me an overview of the suite and how it operates. I can go into dream versions of different towns and just have myself a grand time exploring them.

This actually touches on my yearning to get to see what else lied in this world, but then I realized something else. I can dream about others' dream towns while I'm already dreaming? I mean, if this really is still just a dream, it has to be the longest one I've ever had. I almost feel a twinge of fear welling up inside of me. If I am to just fall asleep on that bed and start "dreaming," would that wake me up in some freakish chance? I did not feel I wanted to depart from this fascinating world just yet. There is so much more I have to do.

Even if my mind is racing at this point, I almost immediately fall back into the trance of the relaxing atmosphere of the Dream Suite. My levels of interest in this entire function is almost too much for me to handle, and I decide I have to experience this. I walk over to the bed.

**LUNA: **Now then, why don't you start by telling me what kind of dream you want to have?

Luna starts giving me different options, including one to give her a "Dream Address" if I wanted to visit a specific dream. I think for a bit and my mind trails back to the mysterious letter I got today. I pull it out and Luna takes a look at the code I point out to her. She raises a brow and shakes her head with a subtle smile partially blocked by her long snout.

**LUNA: **What you have here is a friend code, Mayor Mark. You can actually use this to physically transcend to the town tied to this code.

**ME: **As in through the main station?

She nods and gives me back the letter.

**LUNA: **Dream addresses do not have a particularly differing anatomy. If you would like for me to rather pick a dream at random for you, I can also accomplish this.

Why not? At this point, I don't have a specific place in mind and felt a bit of unpredictability would be interesting in this scenario. Luna instructs me to lie on the bed in some pajamas she hands me. I don't just put these on. They almost seem to fuse with me. My original outfit disappears and is immediately replaced by the silky garments. I look up at Luna in pure shock. She laughs her strange humming laugh.

**LUNA: **Not to worry, Mayor Mark. Your outfit will be given back to you once you are finished.

I nod in understanding and lie on the fancy bed before me. I shut my eyes and breathe deep, taking in the cool air. I can hear Luna's voice getting quieter.

**LUNA: **Now I'm going to…shut off the lights…one sheep…two sheep…

I sense the overwhelming force of sleep rendering my body helpless. Everything turns to white and I can hear the faint sound of a breeze passing through my head.

I feel like I'm floating.


	6. Chapter 6

NEW LEAF

**PART 6: DREAMING OF SUNDALE**

I emerge into a realm of dreams. Many different sounds flutter and wisp past my ears as I transcend blindly into this world. As scary as the concept would seem, I actually feel more tranquil than before.

I feel a regaining in gravity and feel my body becoming heavier. I can breathe in air—very crisp and clean air, much like my own town. I open my eyes and find myself staring up into a starry night sky. I hear the common sounds of the outdoors, except everything almost sounds like they have a slight reverberating effect. I blink several times and see Luna looming over me from the side.

**LUNA: **Welcome to the world of dreams…Right now you're having a dream of a sleepy town called Sundale.

I slowly give rise to my upper body and feel a bit of wooziness kick in. I shake my head and analyze my surroundings. The bed I am resting on is now in the middle of a gravel-paved plaza, much like the one in my own town. That's only where the strangeness begins.

Luna wishes me a good time and tells me to flop back into bed if I want to return to the real world. I let my bare feet sink off the side of the bed and touch the stone floor. The sense of touch is vivid in this dream world. I'm afraid if I stay for too long I'll start to think this in itself is the real world.

I investigate my surroundings some more and notice that this town appears to have a celebratory tree as well. The vegetation of the town is a wonder to look at. Trees are strewn all across the grasslands to resemble a forest. Bushes, shrubs, flowers, and all sorts of other plants have populated the town a good deal also.

I rummage my pockets upon realizing I have something inside them. The item turns out to be a map of the town itself. The layout is not entirely identical to mine, but the legend and symbols are very similar, save for some new structures all across the place. There are ten villagers living here, a police station, a café, and what appears to be a campsite. I heed these structures and see if I can have them built in Quietown as well. The café does definitely sound pleasurable to have.

The event of visiting the villagers carries its own blend of weirdness. They are all different from the ones in my town (thank God, otherwise I would've questioned my sanity even in a dream state), but they all act like they are present in this dream world and self-aware of their surroundings. I have heard of something called "lucid dreaming," but for all these guys to be self-aware? It didn't sit right with me.

I try visiting the structures across town, but to no avail. They are all lit up like Christmas trees, but are closed and locked up tight, sometimes sporting signs with unsettling messages on them.

_"Temporarily closed forever."_

_ "Closed 24 hours."_

_ "The town hall will be closed today. Thank you for your understanding!"_

I wonder after waiting for about a day if I would see another version of Isabelle. I chuckle to myself at this thought, although I soon remember that the building has windows, although it isn't lit up like the other buildings. I take a peek inside and cannot see anything save for a couple pieces of furniture here and there. I then think to myself, "This is a dream, so what I do doesn't really affect the town."

Right?

An idea pops up into my head. I dash back to Luna, destroying some flowers along my path. I notice a dancing phallic object nearby the bed, its twisty movements accelerating the closer I got to it. In its squeaky voice, it offers me a selection of tools. Score! I take everything the bugger has on hand and make a run for the town hall again, equipping my trusty axe.

Before I take a swing at one of the windows, I sense someone behind me.

**LUNA: **Mayor Mark?

I slowly turn my head and gaze at the tapir from the corner of my eye. She looks at me with concern, as if expecting something like this.

**LUNA: **Do you really want to do this?

**ME: **What do you mean? This is supposed to be a dream.

**LUNA: **Yes, Mayor Mark…but these dreams are a complete amalgamation of a townsperson's memories, outlook, and remembrances of their town. It's not just the arrangement of buildings and plant life.

I think about what she is saying. Would a person have to scan and remember every single inch of his or her town to really project an entire image as a dream? What is the end point of this dream world anyway? My first motive in even planning this was to simply see what the inside of the town hall looked like, but now Luna has me thinking of the lack of a boundary.

**ME: **If this whole thing is from someone's head, then there should be a limit or something, right?

Luna shakes her head.

**LUNA: **There does not have to be a limit. I am not sure of the limits of Sundale itself, but somebody can certainly expand their dream and break through a boundary to create even more land in the surroundings. Somebody can create an entire world if they wanted.

Luna sighs and folds her arms.

**LUNA: **I'm not going to stop you, Mayor Mark. What you do here won't affect the dream, but it may affect you.

Wouldn't someone have done something like this before? One can't possibly tell me that they'll see most of the buildings being closed and not wanting to play 'explorer' a bit. I shrug it off. Luna has already walked away.

I shatter the window with my axe and break into the town hall. It is already quiet in the dream world of Sundale, but somehow it seems even quieter inside the building. It gives me a feeling of tension almost. I flip on the light switch and look around, noticing that not only does the building itself look similar, but its interior also. I begin to think if maybe the whole dream could be affected by someone else's imagination and recollections. It would be too much of a coincidence for two towns to look almost identical.

I investigate around the mayor's table. There are a lot of different papers scattered around, most of which I cannot understand because of the complex and almost illegible writing on them. I lose interest quickly and start checking around the secretary's desk.

There is something on the desk that causes my insides to feel like they've gone frozen and I am not sure how I didn't see this before. The name plate propped on the surface says, **"Isabelle."**

What was once a little joke has turned into something horrific. I remind myself that this is just…a dream in a dream. Yeah, that's exactly what this is. None of these different towns probably even exist. This is just some crazy concoction from my overly active mind. I can't think too hard on this. I exit the town hall to see one of the animals, a rabbit, staring at me like I fell from the sky. I ignore him and head back to Luna.

The tapir eyes me with indifference, but I bet that with one look at my face she could tell I probably regretted my action. No, that's not how this is. It's just a dream, and my own mind contributed to it. That's all this is!

**LUNA: **Are you ready to go back to the world of stress?

Yes, but not for very long.


	7. Chapter 7

NEW LEAF

**PART 7: ROSIE'S HOSPITALITY**

I found myself transcending into multiple dreams, a constant energy coursing through me and pushing me forward. My discoveries were all but normal. Every town I had visited after Sundale had very stark similarities between what I've already seen. Re-Tails, police stations, cafes, campsites—reappearances were everywhere I looked. There was something else too: the town halls were also the same, as were the nameplates, "Isabelle" scrawled on them.

There seemed to be no end to the craziness. All these towns had different villagers. I actually just recently discovered that the mayors of the village also had houses. Usually the mayors themselves would be walking about outside their houses, but they were utterly dull, not engaging in any conversations I attempted to have with them. All they did was speak a single phrase and not much else. They resembled robots. I almost felt like my brain was withering at that point. I had to take a rest.

And so I take a rest. I bid Luna farewell and I notice she seems a bit troubled by the fun adventures I had. I will definitely be returning, but for now I have to get my mind off of the crazy stuff I just witnessed. I decide to start this task by bringing up the structures that I hoped would be available to me to Isabelle.

I couldn't look at her the same. That cheerful, yellow puppy face never fading from view is no longer as radiant as it once was. All I get now is a chilling sense of dread, but I didn't want to feel this way about her. I just couldn't help it. I feel there is something underneath.

**ISABELLE: **Hello, Mayor Mark! Can I assist you with anything today?

She says this as I recline on my comfy mayor's chair, gazing blankly at the surface of my desk, which is just as blank. I snap my head up, remembering what I was going to say. I propose the public works projects that I referenced from the dream villages I've visited. Isabelle is more than happy to help me get the requests lined out, to my great relief. The projects are going to cost money.

I waste no time and head out with Isabelle, pointing out the perfect spots to put the projects. Not wanting to dig myself too deep in the inevitable debt I'm piling on myself, I decide to start on three projects for now: the café, the campsite, and the police station. Once the spots are chosen, Isabelle informs me that only one project can be built at a time. Great. I won't even be able to have it completely finished until the payment is done with either. It will take a bit to have all these finished in a timely manner, although I suppose I'm not really on a deadline here.

The day lazily shuffles on through as I sit in my office, looking through the files and papers in the drawers. Suddenly I remember the letter in my pocket—yes, THAT letter, the one sent by the would-be mayor of this place. I look at the code on the back again. My mind sets itself back on track. Luna told me that this was a "friend code" I can use to travel to another town. Am I really ready to start doing that?

The door of the town hall jingles as it suddenly swings open. The cerulean cat, Rosie, steps in, prancing up to Isabelle's desk. Isabelle warmly greets her.

**ISABELLE: **Hello! How can I help you?

Rosie's eyes roll from Isabelle, then over her shoulder, then to me. She giggles.

**ROSIE: **Oh, I don't need much! I was just wondering if Mr. Mayor is busy at the moment.

I throw the letter into the drawer and sit up.

**ME: **No, no, I'm not doing anything. What do you need?

She giggles again and hops around nervously.

**ROSIE: **I, uh, was just wondering if you wanted to come out for a bit. I want to talk to you about something…privately.

I look at Isabelle, who looks back at me, raising her lower lip and brow with mutual acceptance.

**ME: **I don't mind that. I'll be right out.

The cat beams.

**ROSIE: **Great! I'll see you!

She heads out and I mean to follow. As I pass Isabelle's desk, I take another look at her. She gives me a glance, a nod, and then a meek little smile.

Rosie is just on the side of the building, leaning against the wall. Her large grin slowly sinks to a concerned frown. She walks up to me and holds my hands.

**ROSIE: **Mayor Mark, are you doing okay?

**ME: **What do you mean?

**ROSIE: **You know what I mean!

She gives a little scoff.

**ROSIE: **Every time I've seen you, you always look so…how you say it…you always look so FRENZIED!

The last word catches me off guard, not necessarily by what it meant, but how loud she says it. I admit, I probably do look like a tad crazed at the moment, but it's for good reason. I try to change the subject, but then Rosie makes a request.

**ROSIE: **You have to come to my place sometime! Any time after an hour is perfect!

Wait, today? I wasn't really planning on visiting anyone, except for maybe Luna again. Or maybe I really should take a bit of a longer break before jumping into that madness again. I don't know how much more I can take in such a short period of time. Forget it. I give in and plan to meet her in exactly an hour.

** ROSIE: **You will? That's great! I'll see you then!

I can tell I made her pretty happy by the way she prances off.

I do wind up meeting her just a minute before the time we planned. Rosie happily invites me in and makes me comfortable. She is clearly in the know when it comes to neighborly hospitality. As relaxed as I might have felt at the dream suite, Rosie might be putting it on the run for its money. We talk about things, nice things that is, and it really helps to take my mind off the stress raking at it.

All good things come to an end, however, and I have to bid Rosie farewell. I am tired and greatly look forward to sleep tonight. She stops me before I head out.

**ROSIE: **O-oh! Mayor Mark! What do you think of my place? You aren't going to leave without telling me, are you?

She has her hands behind her back, looking blatantly bashful about it. I give her an assuring grin.

**ME: **I love it!

**ROSIE: **Really? Wow, well I'm flattered!

Truthfully it is a very nice-looking interior, complete with an interesting pink wallpaper, a rug that really ties the room together, and intriguing furniture, some that are decorated with polka-dots. Undoubtedly it helped me relax as I spent time with the cat.

Rosie gives a hearty goodbye and I leave, breathing in the fresh evening air as I stepped outside. I start to head over to my house until I bump into Chester, who I am surprised to see considering I don't even see him often.

**CHESTER: **Hey there, Mayor! Sorry about that. I've been thinking…well, hard about something.

He evidently wants me to know about whatever is occupying his head. I bite.

**CHESTER: **Wolfgang's noticed something odd about the dream suite. Well, you know how it's open pretty much 24/7 right?

He leans in a little close and I do the same.

**CHESTER: **It's closed.

I lean back, puzzled. The dream suite closed? Chester chuckles at the flabbergasted expression I have on.

**CHESTER: **Don't believe me? Go on over and see for yourself! I think Wolfgang's still out there. Personally, I don't really see how he's so interested in it. Luna's gotta take a break too, you know!

That comment reminds me a lot of Isabelle and her tireless work. I have to remember to give her a vacation. I thank Chester and head to Main Street. I don't plan to take very long since my eyelids are struggling to remain open.

True to his word, the lights of the elegant building are off and Wolfgang is standing just outside on the dirt road, staring at the building with intensity. I walk up to him and cross-examine the dream suite myself. It truly is a bit of a spectacle, especially since it stands out so well at this time of day.

Wolfgang doesn't even turn his eyeballs as he speaks to me.

**WOLFGANG: **Doesn't this give you a weird feeling?

I don't know what to say. I suppose it does? I almost have to stand next to Chester on this one. Luna could just be taking a short break.

**WOLFGANG: **Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Well, I don't think that's what's going on.

**ME: **What do you think it is then?

**WOLFGANG: **Heck if I know. I could be wrong. The thing is, ever since this day started, I've felt weird. Like, really weird. It's something in the air.

I think back to an earlier time and realize that I've been through a good deal today. Despite that, I don't know if Wolfgang is just really paranoid, or if my activity in the dream suite influenced something—but that just seems like crazy talk.


	8. Chapter 8

NEW LEAF

**PART 8: WHITNEY**

Weeks and weeks have passed and I have not taken another trip to the Dream Suite. I could not say right now what exactly has demotivated me from going back, but it may be just a combination of fear and plain forgetfulness. Luna had reopened the Suite, so maybe the closing wasn't anything to get too riled up about.

I tried hard not to get riled up about things. I have responsibility as the mayor of this town to keep it a habitable and peaceful place, and I did not want the stress of my personal errands to diminish my energy. Summer has eventually faded away as the weeks trailed by. The first snow came just yesterday after the campsite has finally finished being constructed.

The campsite is my final piece of the queue for public works projects—I'm finally done…for now. There could be a lot of other things I can add to the town, but I didn't think on it too much. Quietown is really shaping up to become something great—a town that I would be proud to call my own. With a café, police station, and the campsite, I am not sure what other structures I could come up with; there are plenty of others on Main Street. Most of the dream towns I visited did not have much variation in structures. If I kept at it, I could probably figure out more things to add to the list.

I was able to fund all these different projects from visiting an interesting island not far from the shores of Quietown's beaches. A sailor turtle that went by the name of Kapp'n said he noticed the prolific growth of the town and offered up his services to transport to the island, where the rest of his family lived. On this island were the most astounding variations of insects and sea life I've seen yet. I managed to find insects that offered a hefty selling price. My economic standing grew immensely since visiting the island, and it hasn't stopped. With the extra money, I spent it on increasing the vegetation in Quietown as well as expanding my own home.

Life is smooth-sailing. That is how it should be in my town. I find myself growing more and more distant from all the troubling things I've seen. I've gotten to know my villagers more and spend a lot more time with them. At the end of January, we actually got a new visitor. I haven't actually gone to speak with her personally, but when I saw her at a glimpse, she looked mysterious, and somehow fascinated me.

The visitor is a white wolf. I was told by Isabelle that her name is Whitney and that she has almost immediately expressed interest in moving in, claiming the last place she stayed in was 'not suited for her.' It sounded very snooty, but I was sure the wolf would enjoy it here.

A day passes since Whitney has set up camp. It is the afternoon and her tent is still up. I decide it would be as good a time as any to get to know her and welcome her, finally. I get done with a bit of paperwork and take my leave from town hall. I head over to the tent and see that the entrance flap is zipped open a bit. I take a quick peek in and don't see the wolf anywhere inside. I peek in more closely in case she was huddled up in a corner—nope.

I pace away from the tent and look around. In the distance nearby the cliff overlooking the beach, I see her—in her flower-patterned purple knit and brilliant white fur, Whitney sits on the blue bench off the edge of the cliff, occupied by a small book in her grasp. I walk up to the bench, which is also surrounded by a plethora of flora, giving the whole scene an almost mystical feeling. I feel like I'm walking into a sappy romance novel.

Whitney notices me approaching and turns her head to view me. She blinks a couple times and then smiles with a small acknowledging nod. I breathe out and extend my arm for a handshake.

**ME: **Hello. Whitney, am I right?

She nods and smiles again, exchanging my handshake.

**WHITNEY: **You're correct. Are you Mayor Mark?

She closes her book and sets it aside.

**ME: **That's me. I just wanted to welcome you Quietown. I'm sure you'll find it very comfortable. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you when you set up camp.

Whitney shakes her head.

**WHITNEY: **Don't worry about it, Ma- ahem. You don't mind if I just call you Mark, right?

**ME: **Not at all!

**WHITNEY: **Good, good.

She makes a toothy grin, chuckling at herself.

**WHITNEY: **It's good to meet you, anyhow. I'm already planning on moving in. I just have to get things set up in Main Street. You know how it is.

I nod, almost transfixed by the smoothness of her voice. Everything about her is smooth. There is something just so captivating about her. I gesture toward the bench with a flick of my head.

**ME: **Do you mind if I join you?

Whitney seems taken aback at first, but then nods, scooting over for me.

We get to know each other. Whitney has come from another town which has apparently been 'abandoned' by its mayor for some time. I cringe at the thought of doing something like that. I would never forgive myself unless it involved some sort of emergency. Whitney informs me that the town was not being tended to—weeds were growing everywhere and it never went through evolution of any sort.

**WHITNEY: **I'm glad I left when I did. It looked like things were just going to get worse.

Her little story about the town got under my skin. It motivated me even more to pay special care to Quietown. Whitney and I wound up talking for quite a while. We decided to continue our conversation over at the café.

The head of the café, Brewster, is a real piece of work. With grace and finesse, he offers us coffee unlike anything I've ever tasted. His passion glowed and wafted from the cups almost, feeling amazing in the midst of the café's warmth, huddled in the middle of winter's embrace.

Whitney and I continue to talk, having a great time. It seems like she is the one who has all the stories to tell. It makes me reflect on my own life. I do have much to tell, but they aren't exactly things I want to share, even if I've already gotten comfortable with her. I'm pleased with how quickly we've befriended each other.

I almost don't even hear the entrance open, the bells jingling as a small breeze whistled from the outside. I turn my head to see that it's Pecan. She walks up to Whitney and me, fixating her eyes on me.

**PECAN: **Ah! Mayor! I was looking for you.

Pecan gazes over at Whitney and suddenly looks startled. Her speech becomes a little quieter and she seems more hesitant.

**PECAN: **I'm sorry. Did I interrupt?

Both Whitney and I shake our heads while looking at each other in mutual agreement.

**ME: **No, not at all. What do you need, Pecan?

**PECAN: **Ummm, uhhhh…

She looks around nervously.

**PECAN: **You know what? I'll tell you later, alright? I'll send you a letter maybe. See you around!

The squirrel takes her leave casually, and I just look back at Whitney in confusion. We eventually brush it off and continue our warm little chat.

Later in the evening we finally decide it's about time to go our separate ways and take a load off for the night. Whitney and I stand outside of the town hall.

**WHITNEY: **Thanks for that. It was fun.

**ME: **Hm?

**WHITNEY: **The time we had in the café, I mean. I can already tell I'll like it here. Hey, send me a letter sometime soon, huh? I should have my house ready by the end of this week.

I pause for a moment and then nod with a stupid grin.

**ME: **No problem.

With that, she gives a responding nod and a cute wink as she walks away. I stare at her dreamily, noticing that specks of white are beginning to fall from above. The evening is pleasingly still. I breathe in the brisk air and make my way back into the town hall to finish my work.

I wanted every day to be this way.


End file.
